Orchard heating apparatus



Oct.8, 1940. 'J. iRRELl. L 23175535 excam: HEATING A PPARA'rus l Filed Aprire. 193s @GO I '50 apparatus of this kind so constructed so asto enscale through one of the orchard heaters, and 50 Patented on. s, 194e i f 'Zi STATES PATN .FFME

ORCHARD HEATING APPTUS James Birrell, Santa rbara, alii,

Application April 8, 1938, Serial No. 209,90@

8 Claims. (Ci. 12e- 595) This invention relates to orchard heating sys- In the preferred form of theapparatus, it interns such as used in citrus fruit belts, and emcludes a plurality of lateral conduits along which ploying a number of liquid fuel burners spaced the burners are spaced; and one of the objects of throughout the orchard. In accordance with the the invention is to provide means whereby the invention, means is provided for supplyingatomfuel burning conditions in the dierent lateral t5 ized liquid fuel to the burners, and for collecting conduits, will be substantially uniform, 'and` so pools of the liquid at or in the vicinity of the that the'fuel supplied vand consumedat the difburners, and for utilizing the pressure inthe sysferent burners of each lateral conduit, will be tem to atomize the liquid fuel from the pools at substantially the saine for each burner in that 10 the burners. This is most advantageous as comlateral conduit. l@ pared with any system in which the fuel is A further object of the invention. is to provide pumped in liquid form under pressure to the an eilicient apparatus for effecting the advance burners through a liquid pressure line. If it is vof atomized fuel to burners through va pipe sys attempted to supply a liquid pumped under prestem, and to provide means whereby alocal sup sure to fuel burnerait is very difficult to regulate ply, or pool, will be developed adjacent each burni5 the burners, and practically impossible to attain er from which the liquid fuel may be drawn, and efficient combustion of the fuelwithout employatomized through the agency of the pressure exing atomizing air at the burners, But to supply isting inthe pipe system. compressed air for atomizing the fuel at the 'Y In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

burners requires two pipe systems-one for air the apparatus includes lateral conduits along 2o and one for the liquid fuel. Furthermore, in aV which the burners are spaced, and these laterals pipe systemrin which the liquid fuel is pumped deliver into a return conduit, which returns unthrough as a liquid, the particular location of 'a consumed vapor and liquid fuel that has moved burner at an elevation, on a hill for-example, or past the burners; and one of the objects of the below a hill at a low elevation, gives rise to trouinvention is to provide means for maintaining a 25 bles in effecting regulation at each burner, and reduced pressure in the return conduit that re makes it practically impossible to voperate such a turns the unconsumed fuel in the form of vapor system satisfactorily. and/or liquidjback to the supply container or In my system, although I employ yheader pipes reservoir. or mainsin which the fuel and compressed air A further object of the invention is to main- 30 flow respectively, I carry the fuel in a single linetain a highly aerated condition of the liquid fuel an air pipe line, directly to the burners. Consein the supply reservoir, enabling a heavy oil to be quently there is only one valve to vcontrol at each employed.

burner to regulate the operation of they burner. Further objects 'of the invention will appear Substantially perfect" combustion is obtained be' hereinafter. y 35 cause the fuel becomes thoroughly mixed with The invention consists in the novel parts and the air that carries it through the piping loops or combination of parts to be described hereinafter, laterals supplying -the burners.. and any excess of all of which contribute to producean efiicient orfuel supplied ows back to the supply point. In chard heating apparatus. 40 this Way I greatly reduce the length of piping re- A preferred embodiment of the invention is de- 40 quired and attain quite perfect combustion of the scribed in the following specification, while the fuel at the burners. Thisis important, because if broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the substantially perfect combustion is not attained, appended claims.

soot is formed which settles on the leaves of the In the drawing: i trees, to their injury, or it may subject the or- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the 45 chard owner t0 atiOn fQrdmB'geS 'fOrA injury apparatus embodying my invention, and in which to lace curtains or other household lgoods of permy method may be practiced, and showing the sons living in the vicinity of the orchard. same as applied to two lateral conduits.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide Fig. il is 'a -vertical section upon an enlarged able the burners to be operated with substantial indicating portions of the lateral conduit, or latuniformity; in other words, so that in the opere eral pipe loop, in'whichthe same is connected. ation of the system substantially the same .This View illustrates means for collecting a local amount of heat units can be developed at the difpool of the liquid fuelto be atomized in the ferent burners. burner. 55

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the burner in the same plane as in Fig. 2, but upon an enlarged scale, and further illustrating detalls of the burner.

Fig. 4 is a plan and partial section of the means employed in connection with each lateral conduit for effecting atomization of the liquid fuel at the entrance to the lateral conduit.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the base of a burner and connections in the lateral conduit, with means for facilitating the development of the pool of the liquid fuel below the burner. 'Ihis is a modification of the type"l of fuel collector pot illustrated at the bottom of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a Vertical section taken about on the line 6-I3 of Fig. 5, and further illustrating the details of this pool collecting device. f

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention, it should be stated that in the preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide a compressed air conduit and a liquid fuel conduit, which preferably extend side by side through the orchard. To these conduits lateral conduits `are connected, along which the fuel burners or orchard hea-ters are spaced. Corresponding to each lateral conduit, I provide me'ans for utilizing the compressed air for 'atomizing or vaporizing a quantity of the liquid fuel and for advancing the same through the lateral conduit to supply the burners. of each burner, suitable means is provided for effecting the collection of a pool or local reservoir, or local supply of the liquid fuel corresponding to each burner, and at these points the pressure existing in the system is utilized to atomize the fuel from the local supply. While it would be possible to employ at each burner compressed air unsaturated with the fuel, for atomizing the fuel from the local supply at the burner, I prefer to utilize compressed air super-saturated with the liquid fuel through the medium of atomization effected at the inlet end of the lateral conduit. One of the advantages of this is that the super-saturated vapor being under pressure, facilitates the condensation and collection of the liquid fuel vat the local pools which supply thedifferent burners. The different piping loops or lateral conduits, deliver to a return conduit or main, and at the point of connection to this main, regulator valves are provided which enable sucient pressure to be maintained in the different lateral conduits to insure emcient operation of the burners; thatis to say, sumcient pressure in the compressed vapor in the conduit adjacent the burner. In order to prevent building up too much back pressure in the return main, which might interfere with the free operation of the device, I provide means for maintaining a relatively loW pressure in the return main. In this way, a proper diiferentialof pressure is maintained between the return main and each lateral conduit.

In addition to this, I also provide means for assisting in maintaining this eifect, and at the same time, effecting a thorough aeration of the liquid fuel in the supply reservoir from which the system receives its liquid fuel.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, I indicates a supply reservoir or sump from which the liquid fuel is withdrawn by a pipe 2 that leads to a pump 3 that develops pressure in the liquid supply main, or conduit 4. The pump '3 may be driven by any 'I of another motor such as a motor 8 thatdrives In the vicinity regulator valves 2I. ond duplex lateral or vlateral conduits I4c and I4d that correspond rethis purpose anI air compressor. or blower having an air an accumulator, o1 air reservoir II, which contains air under any desired pressure controlled by a relief valve I2. From the air reservoir II the pipe main, or conduit I3, leads off and preferably parallels the extension da of the fuel conduit Il. In other Words, I prefer to provide an extension I3a of the compressed air line I3 that substantially parallels the extension da. These two mains 4a and I3a in practice, would be of any length desired toprovide for the operation of any necessary number of lateral conduits. In the presen-t instance, however, I have illustrated two duplex lateral conduits comprising a lateral conduit Illa at the right, and another lateral conduit IIlb at the left.

Means is provided plex lateral conduit, uid fuel to the same. may be employed for however, I.illustrate a this means, involving the use of a nozzle I5, the rear end of which is connected through a handoperated valve I 6 to the fuel conduit extension 4a. This nozzle I5 extends completely through the union or T-connection II that connects sections of the pipe line I3a and delivers compressed air within a pipe I8 that connects to the T'- connection Il, leaving an annular passage I9 through which corresponding to each dufor supplying atomized liq- `this purpose. In Fig. 4,

I8, which connection 20 is connected to the lateral condui-t, or loop Mb. The return ends of thesel laterals Ma and Ilib are connected throughregulator valves 2 I to a return conduit 22, the outer end of which is closed by a cap 23. These regulator valves 2| maintain the desired working pressure in the laterals. Any suitable type of regulator valve can be employed for this purpose, which will open and permit a flow of the vapor under pressure into the return line 22. In o rder to prevent building up pressure in t-he return pipe 22, I prefer to utilize compressed air from the main I3a. For this purpose I provide a pipe connection 23 corresponding to each duplex lateral. and having a Pitot tube 24 that is bent in the direction of return flow in the pipe 22, which is indicated by the arrow on this pipe in Fig. l1. It will be 'evident that this jet of compressed air Kflowing in this direction and controlled by a will produce valve 25 in the pipe connection 23', a partial vacuum back of it, and induce flow of liquid or vapor passing into this line through the In Fig. 1 I illustrate a secloop involving the single spectively, to the laterals Ila and Mb. These laterals I4c and Idd are duplicates of laterals Ida and Mb, with all their accessories and valves, and hence it will be unnecessary to describe the same.

'I'he return pipe 22 extends back to thev supply reservoir I, and in order to facilitate the ow back to this reservoir, and also to aerate the fuel Ia in the reservoir I, I prefer to provide means for projecting an air jet in the interior of(lthis pipe in the direction pf the return ow. -For may be supplied with compressed. air through a Any sui-table construction simple construction for air will pass from the supply main. I3a and into the lateral or loop Ida. A control I employ an air nozzle 26, which` l:s,21 'a',zse.o I3. The flow of air in 'the air line. I3 and-in the Instead of-providinga fuel pot of the general connection 21, may be controlled by a valve 28.

A valve 29 is 'preferably provided in the fuel feed line 2 leading from the reservoir I to the pump 3.

Referring to Fig. 1,'the heaters`3|l are connected in series into thelateral conduits Ila and Mb. Any suitable type o f burner may be employed with this system, but in Fig. 2 I illustrate a type o f heater and burner 'that I prefer to employ. Ata point adjacent to that atwhich the heater is to be located, I -provide means in the lateral piping that will operate to effect an accumulation of the fuel. The illustration in 4i formed in the casing 42 of the burner.

Fig. 2 shows a fuel pot or local reservoir 3|, which may rest on the ground, indicated by the ground line 32, and this fuel pot is connected with the line piping' |4b at a slight distance above its bottom.

In the operation of the heater, when the mist which super-saturates the compressed air flowingf in the lateral arrives at the pot 3|, a considerable quantity of the liquid will become condensed so that there will always be a pool 33 of the liquid fuel in this reservoir. The fuel pot 3|-has a gas-tight head 34 so that above the level of the liquid fuel 33- a pressure chamber 35 is formed. The pressure in this chamber is4 utilized to atomize the liquid fuel 33 at a burner 36, which,for convenience, may be located above and supported on the head 34. This burner may be of any suitable construction, but preferably is ,constructed integrally with a cap 31 that screws onto a neck 38 extending up from the head 34.

lA liquid fuel inlet tube 39 has its inlet mouth' 40 located 'below the level of the liquid 33, and

delivers the liquid into an inlet duct or chamllaler T s 'burner 42 preferably includes a valve inthe form of a plug 43 with a threaded portion 44 mounted in the casing, so that the valve can be adjusted in or out by means of a handle or hand- Wheel I45. The valve is formed with a substantially conical shoulder 46 that cooperates with the conical seat 41 to close oi flow completely,

' or toA regulate the amount of flow. The plug 43 has a tip 48 of reduced diameter that ts freely in the reduced bore 49, and this tip has a fuel may be attained. The counterbore 52 constitutes a mixing chamber, and into this bore the vapor under pressure from the upper part of the pot 3| isadmitted through an airpassage 53. This passage 53 is preferably located slightly to one side so as to-admit the air in avertical plane` substantially tangentially to the side of the counterbore 52. This produces a swirling motion in the admitted lair, and effects a thorough mixing with thei liquid Oil. The oil with the air then passes into an annular chamber 54 disposed around the plug 43, and this chamber connects with' a delivery duct 55 extending up through the nozzle -56-of the burner and through the perfo- 'ration in its tip 51. The amount of air passing up the passage53 can be nicely regulated by means of a set screw 53 threaded in the wall of the casing,` and the inner end of which projects into the passage 53.

construction shown in Fig. 2, its function may be performed by a more orless rudimentary fuel pot, vsuch as.that illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

This fuel pot 58 shown in Fig. 5, is of small` diameter, andoperates substantially as a coupling between sections of the tubing 59. In this fuel pot, or coupling 58, means is provided for bailiing the flow of the mist passing through the pipes 59. This tends to increase condensation, and also operatesas a dam or baille to retain a pool 60 of the liquid fuel.` Into this pool the lower end of the -fuel inlet tube 6| of the burner r extends. The interior of the fuel pot above the liquid level, constitutes a pressure chamber. 62,

which operates to force the liquid up the tube 60, and atomizes the same in the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 3.

Any suitable means may be employed for supplying the liquid fuel -Ia to the reservoir I; for example, an elevated tank 63 provided with a deuvery pipe e4 and a va1ve ss through which the fuel will run by gravity into the reservoir A| The 4pipe connection 21 that leads 'the compressed air to the aerating nozzle 26 may be provided with a valve 26a for controlling the amount' of air that is 'admitted through this nozzle. Beyond this nozzle the return pipe 22 has a downwardly extending delivery neck 66 that delivers the return flow-from thesystem, and compressed air from the nozzle 26 near the bottom of the reservoir I, so that this air and returned unconsumed fuel bubbles up through the liquid fuel la.

As the air bubbles up through the liquid fuel |a,

it naturally produces a considerable aeration of the fuel,- which increases the facility with which the fuel can be formed into a mist by the mistproducing means illustrated in Fig. 4. Furthermore, the increased quantity of air carried in the liquid fuel is valuable, 'in that it reduces the viscosity of the heavy oil, and this enables very heavy oils to be employed in this system, and burnt satisfactorily. These heavy oils are much less expensive than the lighter oils, and this fact is favorable to the operation of this system at a very low cost.

In Fig.v1, of course, the small circles 61 diagrammatically indicate the position of trees in the orchard. Of course, in practice, the lateral conduits, |4a and |4bA would be of a length to adapt them to the lengths of rows of the orchard. In reading Fig. -1, it should, of course, be understood that this is merely diagrammatic, and the parts of the drawing are not in proportion, or on any scale.

In the operation of the method and apparatus, the;driving of the pump 3 and blower or compressor 5, operate to' advance the'liquid fuel and compressed air respectively, in their mains'4 and I3. At the location of the laterals |4a, |4b, |4c, and Md, the vaporizing or mist-producing apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4, or similar apparatus, is located, which utilizes the compressed air to carburet and mix with the liquid fuel and produce a mist or fuel vapor ywhich passes through as the heaters 30. At each heater, or in itsimmediate vicinity; a pool 33 of the liquid fuel is developed due to the condensation of the liquid carried in the mist, and at the same time,

. the lateral piping and through the heaters vsuch pressure -is developed in the pressure chamber 35 above the surface of this liquid. The pressure in the pressure chamber'35 at each heater, therefore forces the liquid fuel up the fuel tube 39 and produces a thorough mixture of the fuel and air, and atomizes the same through the delivery duct l55 of the nozzle 56 of each burner. The pressure in each `lateral is suffclent to operate the nozzles eiliciently, and is maintained through the agency of the regulator valves 2|, which open under the pressure for which they are set to deliver the return flow from the system into the return pipe 22. The bent nozzles 24 corresponding to each double loop or lateral duct, operate to admit compressed air from the compressed air line |3a to maintain a low pressure in the return pipe 22. In this way a substantially uniform condition in the different laterals can be maintained. The general pressure in the return line 22 can be controlled also to a large extent, by the air nozzle 26 located near the end of the return main 22 where the returned flow is delivered back into ythe supply reservoir l.

Of course, the valve I6 will enable the quantity of fuel being formed into a mist at each lateral loop, to be nicely regulated.

It is understood thatthe embodiment of the invention described herein` is only one'of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do `not Wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:

1.l In an orchard heating system, the combination of a compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits Wthva plurality of burners spaced along the same, and

connections between the air conduit, the fuel' conduit and the lateral conduits to form a mist of the liquid fuel passing through the lateral conduits, and past the burners in series.

2. In an orchard heating system, the combination of a compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a connection for each lateral conduit for forming a mist of the liquid fuel with compressed air from the compressed air conduit, and delivering the mist into the lateral conduits and past all of the burners, means for maintaining pressure in the lateral conduits, means for collecting liquid fuel from the mist, adjacent the burners, and means for utilizing the pressure in the Vlateral conduits to effect the burning of the said collected liquid at the burners.

3. In an orchard heating system, the combination of a compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a connection for each conduit for forming a mist of the liquid fuel with compressed air from'the compressed air conduit, delivering the mist into the lateral conduits and past the burners, means for maintaining pressure in the lateral conduits, means for collecting liquid fuel from the mist,

adjacent the burners, lmeans for utilizing the pressure in the lateral conduits to effect the burning of the said collected liquid at the burners, a return conduit connected with the lateral conduits for returning the unconsumed mist and liquid fuel, regulator valves for regulating the pressure in the said lateral conduits, and means for maintaining a differential working pressure between the pressure in the ylateral conduits, and the pressure in the return conduit.

4. In an orchard heating system, the combination of a compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a

connection for each lateral conduit for forming a mist of the liquid fuelwith compressed air from.

y the compressed air conduit, delivering the mist eral conduits for returning the unconsumed mist and liquid fuel, and means for admitting jets of compressed air from the compressed air conduit into the return conduit at a plurality of points and flowing in the direction of flow in the return conduit.

5. In an orchard heating system, the combination of a compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a connection for each lateral conduit for forming a mist of the liquid fuel with compressed air from the compressed air conduit, delivering the mist into the lateral conduits, means for maintaining pressure in the lateral conduits, means for collecting liquidfuel from the mist, adjacent the burners, means for utilizing the pressure in the lateral conduits toeffect the burning of the said collected li i at the burners, a return conduit he lateral conduits for returning d mist and liquid fuel, and means -for admitting jets of compressed air from the compressed air conduit into the return conduit.

6. In an orchard heating system, the combination of al compressed air conduit, a liquid fuel conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a con- -nection for each lateral conduit for forming a ing the pressure in the lateral conduits to feedthe said collected liquid to the burners, a return conduit connected with the lateral -conduits for returning'the unconsumed mist and liquid fuel, means beyond the return connection of each lateral into the return conduit, for admitting jets of compressed air from the compressed air conduit into the return conduit, and means corresponding to each lateral conduitefor admitting a jet of compressed air from the compressed air conduit into the return conduit at a point beyond the connection of `the lateral conduit to the return conduit with respect to the direction of flow of vapor and liquid in the return conduit, and thereby preventing the'development of back pressure in the return` conduit.

tion of a supply reservoir for the liquid fuel,

a liquid fuel conduit supplied from the same, a compressed air conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits witha plurality of burners spaced along the same, a connection to each lateral conduit for atomizing the liquid fuel into a mist with compressed air from the compressed air conduit and delivering the mist into the lateral conduits, a return conduit to which the lateralconduits connect, regulator valves in the lateral conduits adjacent their points of connection to the return conduit for maintaining pressure in the lateral conduits, and means for admitting jets of compressed air from the compressed air conduit into the return conduit at different points in the return conduit and flowing in the direction of the return flow of the mist and liquid. to maintain a regulable reduced pressure in the return conduit.

8. In an orchard heating system,'the combination of a supply reservoir for the liquid fuel, a liquid fuel conduit supplied from the same, a. compressed air conduit, a plurality of lateral conduits with a plurality of burners spaced along the same, a connection to each lateral conduit for atomizing the liquid fuel into a mist with compressed air from the compressed air conduit and delivering the mist into the lateral conduits,

a return conduit to which the lateral conduits connect, regulator valves in the lateral conduits adjacent their points of connection to the return conduit for maintaining pressure in the lateral conduits, means controlled at will for admitting jets of compressed air from the compressed' air conduit into the return conduit in the direction of the r'eturn now of the mist'and liquid, to maintain a regulatable reduced pressure in thereturn conduit, and means for forcing air into. the liquid fuel supply below the level thereof to aerate the same.

JAMES BIlRtRELL. 

